Liquid dispensing and measuring vessel



July 25, 1950 J.4E.' GALL, JR 2,516,513

LIQUID DISPENSING AND MEAVSURING-vnssm.

Filed Aug. 8, 1947 2 sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOR. l M L9cm-m E GALLJR.

Flc-3.7 `I

ATTOPNEY Patented July 25, 1950 Y i UNITED s'rATEsfrATENT OFFICE LIQUID DIYSPENSING AND MEASURING VESSEL John E. Gau, Jr., Maureen, ohio Application August 8, 1947 Serial N o. 767,391

3 claims. (o1. 222-510) l This invention relates to vessels for containing liquids, and of the type having manually operable valves for controlling the dispensing of liquid I therefrom. v l

While the invention has various uses, as willv .become apparent hereinafter, perhaps its most important use is as a vessel in which a baby's formula of liquid food can be measured and mixed .and dispensed by valve control into a number of `babys nursing bottles.

As is well known, a babys liquid food formula as prescribed by a physician, often consists of numerous ingredients, which must be carefully measured and mixed, and then poured into a number of babys bottles, to a prescribed quantity per bottle. The whole process must be performed in a manner to make and keep the mixture sterile Aas to bacteria, etc.

With the ordinary kitchen utensils, this is a time consuming, exacting, and'fatiguing operation for a'busy mother. The vessel and measuring spoons, etc., used in measuring and mixing the formula must be sterilized; water is usually one of the ingredients and must be boiled; a funnel must be used to direct the mixture into the bottles and must be sterilized; as-the bottles are being filled the funnel must be moved from one bottle tothe next; such funnels are necessarily small and care must be taken not to overflow the funnel Vand spill some of the mixture; the. bottles must be uniformly iilled to a prescribed level and care must be taken in pouring from the-larger vessel into the small funnel to bring the liquid in the several bottles to the same level; and after the operation is nished, all of the utensils used must be washed and put away or stored in a manner to make them readily accessible to be collected again for the next operation.

- It is the object of the present invention to pro# vide means for making this operation from start vto finish more convenient, more accurate, safer as to sterility, and generally less exacting and fatiguing and time consuming.

-The invention comprises an improved appara- 'l tus for the aforesaid purposes, the main elements -V-of which are an improved construction of vessel and an improved construction of dispensing valve therefor.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Y Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of an embodiment of the invention, illustrating a vessel of the `pitcher class, and a dispensing valve therefor. f partsbeing broken away and in section;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the parts of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view from the plane 3-3 of Fig. 1; I

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary kview from the plane 4--4 of Fig. 1, illustrating separately a part of the valve device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view from the plane 5-5 of Fig. 1; Y

Fig. 6 is a view showing separatelyand in top plan, anothervpart of the valve device, shownin y section and in side elevation in Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a View showing separately another part of the valve device of Fig. 1.

Figs. 8 and 9 are fragmentary viewssimilar to the upper part of Fig. 1 illustrating modifications thereof.

Referring to the drawing, there is designated at A a vessel;v and generally at B a. manually operable valve device. y

The vessel A is in the form of a pitcher having a body I .for containing liquid, a handle 2 and a spout 3, all formed integrally, and of glass or other suitable material which will withstand,

without cracking, the heat of a flame or other stove burner, when thepitcher is placed thereover; such materials being well known and used in kitchen utensils for cooking.

The `Spoutv3 is made to be in the form of a funnel, by carrying the opposite side walls 4-4 of the body I. upwardly beyond the top 5 of the body I, and bridging them by a covering portion 6; and converging them into a tubular discharge outlet nozzle 'l which is preferably frusto-conical inside :as at 8, and small enough at the outer small end to enter the small mouth of the con- -ventional babys nursing bottle.

On the outside of the body I is a graduated indicating scale calibrated in ounces; the vessel as stated being preferably of glass and transparent, and the levels of liquid in thevessel being visible and the scale indicating the ounces of the contents at different levels.

vfree end.

nzontal handle 21.

A Valve proper I4 (shown separately in Fig. '1) is provided of rubber or like compressible material. It is frusto-conical in form, and has an axial recess I5 therein sized to correspond to the stem' I2, and the stem I2 and head I3 may be pressed thereinto, the rubber of the valve I4 yielding to permit the stem head I3 to enter the recess I5, and closing in around and behind the head, to thereby removably mount the valve I4 on the end of the spoon bowl Il' and retain it thereon generally in axial alignment with the spoon handle IIJ; so that when the parts are in assembled 4 the rear end of the spoon handle, thrust it forwardly, and seal the valve I4 in the nozzle 1.

The spring handle 21 is `within reach of the thumb of the user While grasping the vessel handle 2, and upon pressing downwardly on the spring handle 21, the whole upper part of the spring labove the aperture 23 is rocked still farther rearwardly, causing the spring to engage the draw the valve "i4 out of sealing engagement in the nozzle 1. When the spring handle 21 is re- A"leased, the spring returns the valve I4 to sealing positions as in Fig. 1 reciproeations ofthe rey ciprocator 9 as a whole will project the Valve for- 1 i wardly into the nozzle 1 and seal it; or ,retract the valve rearwardly in the nozzle 1 to'ope'n it.

At the rear end portion 160i the :handle Ill.. .L

it is provided with a neck I1 and therebeyonda T-head I8; thus presiding rearwardly facing closerlat the bottom and open Aatthe ltop but to facilitate formingiand cleaning, it'is'preferably "inthe form Aof an aperture extending all the Way through the handle.` The-aperture and the -verticalportion 22 of the 'spring are sized yto `each `otherwith clearancaso thatthe 'portion A22 may readily be slid into the aperture or withdrawn xfrom fit; and theelearance is small tenough so vthatv the'spring-partsabovethe handle (to-be referred to) will be held upright.

Above the yloop portion 24 thel spring 2| 'hasAv Aan upright portic-n25, bent 4over rearward-1y at 'a bend 26 and continuing intoja generally hori- The vbend 25 and the upright 'portion 25 have a continuousslot 28 therein'(Figs. 3-and 4) terminating inan enlarged 'apertureZB in the-upright portion. The slot 28 land aperture 29 may be provided 'bypunching them out of the strip before it isbnt'into the form described.

The rear'fend portion `Iii-'of the spoon handle 1M =is detachablyfassembled andinterlooked with.

'spring' '2l (or ithe spring 'is so rotated, `or both rotated relatively). The'T-head I Band neck I1 "are -sliddown into theslotiZ, `until the neck I1 fis inthe apertureZS. The parts 'are `then relatively rotated back again, Awhich disposes the shoulders IB-IS infront ofthe 'spring portion 'Z5-andthe shoulders 2li-+20 behind it; vand Athe T-head I8 prevents removal of the'neck I1 -out of l:the-slot. j I

When the'partsjare all assembled as in Fig. 1, the neck I1 resting inthe aperture 29 supports A:the rear end of the spoon handleon the spring -2I,1.the spring-itself being supported by itsfloop 'fportion 24; and the valve I4 `in the nozzle '1 supports the forward end.

'With-'the parts in theassenibled'-positionr of'Fig. 51,'thereciprocator is'of such length. as to bend the -spring."21 rearwardly-out-of .itsnormal shape, and -the'spring .is under tension; theloop portion. nactingasza .parto'flthe spring; andthe engagement of the spring with the shoulders lIll--Il on spoonhandle I0, thus pushing the spring portion yfil . position.

The full mode of operation of the invention will now. be described, in connection with its use with a'ba'bysiood formula as referred to.

`'Witnthe valveldevice B and the pitcher A assembledas in Fig. l, the user lls the pitcher with water 'and puts it on the stove to boil. Boiling for a time, sterilizes the water and the heat con- -dueted to all of *the `parts -ofthe pitcher A-and '-valve'device'Bsterilizes them.

""The valve device B isthen removed. This can lbe done by pulling upwardly on the spring 2l and --rearv end of the "spoon handle 4IIl concurrently pulling thespring outfof the aperture 23, andthe l'valve Moutoifthe-nozzle 1. Theluser can keep tlieseparta still interlooked together and hold Athem in her left handto'keep them from becoming contaminated with germs, `as they might lif The user then =pours out some of the Lwater :through the `nozzle l untilthe 'remainder as'indicated onthescale, is correct for'the vformula; and

:.thenfp'uts into the watertheother ingredients of v-the'rforrntilm vand zuses the -bowl II of the spoon (which'is still in her-left hand, -the normal position for such use) to measure spoonfuls'when that lis! called for. y

o :a-sizefto measure ya tablespoonnuantity 'when -11111; fandmay have agagedine 38 therein'indicat- /ing 'a lte'aspoonful quantity, -when iilled upto the "level of-thegage line.

In lthisconnection, thespoon bowl may be -of I-he spoon -mayalso be lused at 'this time yto :stir and-mifxfthe contents ofthe pitcher.

YThe'valvedeviceB is then lput back into place,

I#by vputting fthe waive I d 'into-thenozzle, inserting '-lthe-verticalLportionZ2 oi thespring intothe-aperture 12'3,-and pushing'downon the spring-.12| |-and 22 -allwthelway into the 'orifice 23 and concuryrentl-y 4tensioning :the spring fandsealing 'the valve 1M inthe nozzle 1.

"Z'Ihe :user `then picks -up the pitcher by the i-h'andle and projects the nozzley intofthe `first nursl.ingbottle; depresses-the Valvehandle 2 1 with the thumb, thereby retractil-1g 'the Jvalve -I4 aslde- Hscribed allowing the mixture -todflew yinto the bottle, the 'nozzle `1 'and -the wall parts Iadjacent .thereto -acting as affunnel Aas `described, and lw'hen'the Amixture `2in the bottle rises to Athe desired level prescribed by the lphysician -for rone Ethe spring `2-I to seal :the valve Min vthe nozzle quickly and eiiiciently from one to the other.

*All* of the Aparts can new be disassembled and `cleaned atthe same time. Thevalve Ifrcan'be removed from the stem-t2, andthe spring y2| de- "tla'hedffrom'the spoon handle I'-so that thereare LIno holes-'or crevices inaccessible 'for cleaning.

ThelvalveideviceiBcanrthen be assembled with the pitcher -Ar for :another-operation as V`described;

5. andthe pitcher can bef sety on a shelf with all of the -parts kept together therewith as aunit,

y and no loose parts are left lying around to become misplaced,

The pitcher-handle 2 is shown as integral with the pitcher body l. However, the handle may, if desired, be of low heat conductingmaterial, as sometimes provided for handling hotl vessels, and may be attached to the body |.by any of the Well known means utilized in 'such cases.

In the foregoing, I have described one embodiment and one mode of operation of the invention. Changes and modifications, however may vbe made in that embodiment, without departing from the spirit of theinvention. For example, while I prefer to provide a hinging connection between the reciprocator 9 and the spring 2|, :of the quick. detachable neck-and-slot type, as illustrated and described, this is not essential; and any other known or suitable type of lconnection which will transmit bending movement of the spring to the reciprocator to reciprocate it may beutilized. l i' Again in Fig. 8, I have shown that the valve operating spring need not `be also the operators handle. Here, the handle 3| is in the form of a downwardly, rearwardly curving stem of a generally T-form piece of molded material (metal or plastic for example) the head 32 of the T being generally upright` and rocking at` its lower end upon the bottom 33 of an enlarged upwardly open recess 34 in the upper part of the handle, and extending upwardly to the reciprocator or spoon handle Il! and hingingly connected theretomas at 35.A l.

" An upwardly open U-shaped spring 36 is riveted at one legend to the upright 32 as at 3l, depends into the recess 34, andat its other leg resiliently engages a substantiailly vertical wall 38 of the recess 34.

Here again the spring is normally under tension, and, reaching on the recess wall 38 rocks the upright T-head 32 forwardly around its lower end to normally seal the valve |'4 in the nozzle 1. Upon depressing the handle 3|, the upright T-head 32 is rocked rearwardly against the yielding force of the spring 33 and unseals the nozzle.

Again, it is within the intent of the inventive concept hereof to have the valve normally in retracted open-nozzle position, and to have it reciprocable forwardly by the operator to seal the nozzle.

In the form of Fig. 1, this can be done by making the spoon handle l!) shorter. The spring 2| would then not be normally under tension, and the valve I4 would be rearwardly of its sealing position. The operator would in that case press upwardly on the handle 2l to reciprocate the valve I4 forwardly to seal it in the nozzle, thereby tensioning the spring, and would release the handle to allow the spring to return the valve to open the nozzle. It is deemed unnecessary to illustrate this modification of structure and mode of operation of Fig. 1.

Again in Fig. 9, a form of the invention is i1- lustrated, having more particular this normallyopen-valve type of operation.

Here the reciprocator 39 is a bar connected at its forward end to the valve |4, and extending rearwardly over the top of the pitcher and continuing into a downwardly curving handle 40 terminating in a substantially vertical thumbengageable end 4|.

A depending spring 42 is riveted at its upper end as at 43 to the reciprocator 39 and extends downwardly into an upwardly. open V-rform recess 44, at the top of the pitcherytheilowerend of the spring beingengaged in a forwardly-rear'- 'wardly xed position in the angle corner of the V. The spring 42. supports the rearwardpart ofthe reciprocator and the valve|4 supports the forward end; the. valve being normally in nozzle-open position as shown. f

To close the valve, the operator presses forwardly with the thumb onthe end 4|' o f the-reciprocator, pushing it forwardly and tensioning the spring by rocking itsupper part around its lower fixed end. Upon releasing4 the end 4I, the spring returns thevalve andopens .the nozzle.

, .As will be apparent, in both the forms of Figs. 8 and 9, the reciprocator, valve, handle, and spring parts can all be lifted out of the recesses 34 and 44 and taken away from the pitcher for thepurposes described; and later to reassemble them, the spring 36 and upright 32 of Fig. 8 are simply pushed downward into the recess `34, thereby tensioning the spring; and in the form of Fig.y 9, the spring 42 is inserted downwardly without tension into the recess 45.

Obviously, the recesses 34 and 45 of these forms will be made of suitable width (toward and from the observer) to support the parts therein from rockingout of position laterally.

Fig. 9 illustrates that it is not essential for the reciprocator 39, to be of spoon form.

. Other changes and modifications will occur to those skilled in theart, and the invention is comprehensive of all of the same that come Within the-,scope of the appended claims.

l. A liquid dispensing pitcher form vessel, comprising a one part body for containingfliquid, having at its forward side a forwardly tapering funnel-shaped discharge spout; and provided at its rearward side with a 4body handle; and open at its top for free manual access to its interior for cleaning; a valve of rubber or like compressible material inside the spout for sealing and unsealing it upon forward and rearward movement thereof respectively; a generally horizontal forwardly and rearwardly extending reciprocator spanning the open top of the body, and connected to the valve at its forward end portion, and supported at the forward end solely by the valve; actuating means comprising an upwardly open aperture provided at the rearward side of the body near its top; an upright element resting in and removably supported in the aperture, and an upper portion thereof being movable in forward and rearward directions and having a quickdetachable hinge connection with the rearward portion of the reciprocator, and the rearward end of the reciprocator supported solely by the hinge connection; and the actuator comprising resilient means yieldably urging the upper portion of the upright element and the hinge connection in the forward horizontal direction; a valve handle extending rearwardly from the upright element depressible by the thumb of the users hand while grasping the body handle, for moving the upper portion of the upright element rearwardly; the valve, reciprocator and actuating means being removable from the 4body by lifting the upright element out of the aperture and withdrawing the reciprocator and valve rearwardly.

2. A liquid dispensing pitcher form vessel, comprising a one part body for containing liquid. having at its forward side .a forwardly tapering ,funnel-shaped discharge spout; and provided at its rearward side with a body handle; and open nimo-13 `manning-theopen top :oixthe body, and connected to the valve at its forward end portion,` andisuppartedat the iortwa-rdoend rsolely by dshewval-Ne; actuating means. comprising .an upright element supported on the .body .at its rearward =side,. and .an :upper portion. :thereof being forwardly' and rearwardly movable, yand the upper portionharing `avr-hinge Yeonneotion with themearward end portion ofithereoiprocator .andrthefrearwardiend dflthereoiprocator supportedssolely :by thezxinge connection; andthe actuator comprising `resilieir; means-yieldablynurging the @upper .portionroff the uprightzel'enrientl and the 'hingel .conneetion in the @onward horzontaltdirection; sa kizalle lhandle extendingy rearwardly .froml the upright. element depressiblebyathe .thumb of lthe users hand `while graspingfftlfre body lnandle ormoving the -npper portion of the upright element rearwardly; :the

upright element Lbeing 'quiok-detaehahl'yzmounted fon'thelbody; and the reciproca-'tor and-thelvall-ve Abe'iisig removable *from the body lby .moving the upright element upwardly and rearwardly.

3. A liquid/dispensing pitcher orm vessel, oomprising a one par-t body for containing liquid,

having -at its-forward side :a--forwardly tapering `formel-shaped 4el-iseloarefe spout; -and- I1er-eviden#fait its-rearward side with 4a l'body handle; and open at its top fo-r free-manual laccess `to its interior for cleaning; a valve of rubber or like @empressible' material vinside the spout for 'sealing and lxnnseaiing it A-upen forward-and Vrearward ,moves ment thereof respectively; a .generally horizontal kvforwardly and rearwardly 'extending recipr,o :za-tor spanning the open top .of the body, and connected to the valve at its forward endgportion, and supported at the jforward -endfsolely by the valve; .actuating meanswzeomprisingxan upwardly open ,aperture vprovided :at the rear-ward side of the :bo'dyfnearfts ton; an upright element nesting inland memoyably :supportedjn :the aperture, and an upper-portion :thereof Ibeing :moxlable in for ward .randrearwardzdirections and .having la .conneotion'wdththe rearward portion "of the recprocator, :andthe rearward. .end :of jane reciprocatnr Supported solely Eby theiconnection; .and thezac- .tuator Kcomprising .resi-lientv means fyiel'dahl-y rungingfthemlper portion of'zthe `nprglat Aelement and .the connection inione'horizontahdirectiun; .asmalve lrianrileL extending :rearwardly Afrom :the upright elem'entoperable ley-the .thumb :of the users hand while .grasping the tbody handle, ifor moving `.the upper portion of :the zuprightse'lement in the other horzontal.di1'ection;..the Naive, reciprocator and actuating means being removable-rom fthe hody by lifting the npright element out r.of :the aperture and withdrawingtthe .reoiprooator ,and valve-rearwardly.

JOI-IN GAI-AJR.

vREF'ERE-NCES The 'following references :are of :recordlnwhe lil-e of lthis patent:

:STATES PATENTS Gessler Quly '31, '1945 

